--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'll just start laying out the melody…" description: "\"I'll just start laying out the melody exactly where I want it to fall. And then I'll go back and fill it out. Whereas, in other pieces I'm really just ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/danny-elfman-14732_back_i-ll-just-start-laying-out-the-melody-ex_399093.png" --- # I'll just start laying out the melody exactly where I want… ![“I'll just start laying out the melody exactly where I want it to fall. And then I'll go back and fill it out. Whereas, in other pieces I'm really just going a couple bars at a time.” quote by Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/danny-elfman-14732_back_i-ll-just-start-laying-out-the-melody-ex_399093.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/danny-elfman-14732_back_i-ll-just-start-laying-out-the-melody-ex_399093.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4e/danny-elfman-14732_back_i-ll-just-start-laying-out-the-melody-ex_399093.png) > “I'll just start laying out the melody exactly where I want it to fall. And then I'll go back and fill it out. Whereas, in other pieces I'm really just going a couple bars at a time.” [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compose the main theme first, then flesh out details; sometimes work bar by bar. **In simple terms:** Start with a main idea, then develop it. Key Takeaway Plan the core, then refine. Themes creativity process music composition iteration Mood reflective creative Type instructional inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - film scoring - improvisation - studio sessions Key Concepts musical structure creative workflow Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer big‑picture planning or incremental work? - How does your method affect the final piece? A Different Perspective Some projects need a different approach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Melody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melody/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Our core business are those pieces that you really want to have accessible to you but you don't really want to worry about, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-olsen/our-core-business-are-those-pieces-that-you-really-want-to-have/) [Ashley Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-olsen/) > [Those days where all you feel like doing is laying in bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-days-where-all-you-feel-like-doing-is-laying-in-bed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think laying out a beautiful picture in a beautiful way is a bloody bore. I think you've got to blow it right across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-vreeland/i-think-laying-out-a-beautiful-picture-in-a-beautiful-way-is-a-bloody/) [Diana Vreeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-vreeland/) > [“I suppose a body gets used to laying under a sheet at night and when it doesn’t feel the familiar weight of fabric pressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mcintyre/i-suppose-a-body-gets-used-to-laying-under-a-sheet-at-night-and-when/) Jason McIntyre > [Laying my will down for Jesus was laying my life down for others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/laying-my-will-down-for-jesus-was-laying-my-life-down-for-others/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [So laying people off is not something I do lightly, it's not something I relish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-villaraigosa/so-laying-people-off-is-not-something-i-do-lightly-it-s-not-something/) [Antonio Villaraigosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-villaraigosa/) > [Songwriting is the most terrifying thing to me, because you are really laying your heart out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-friedman/songwriting-is-the-most-terrifying-thing-to-me-because-you-are-really/) [David Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-friedman/) > [“I am shaking it, popping it, laying it down and working it out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-joy-fowler/i-am-shaking-it-popping-it-laying-it-down-and-working-it-out/) [Karen Joy Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-joy-fowler/) > [I'm keepin' you in love with me, baby. 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It's just second nature to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/for-me-writing-something-in-the-spirit-of-halloween-is-like-mother/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [I'm trying to interpret the film through the director's head, but it all comes out through me. So, a composer is kind of like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/i-m-trying-to-interpret-the-film-through-the-director-s-head-but-it/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [I really liked doing a number of the projects and directors, and etc., etc., I knew about half-way through that I would never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/i-really-liked-doing-a-number-of-the-projects-and-directors-and-etc/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [I'm looking for a feel and I have to find what that feel is before I can move on from there. 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